Overwatch 2’s season 4 battle pass redesign offers more choice, but it also moves important currencies deep into the reward structure. For free-to-play players, that makes earning enough coins for future content considerably harder.
Blizzard has split the pass into several tracks. Each one finishes with a skin and contains additional rewards along the way. The stated aim is to let players decide which rewards they want to claim first, as explained by product director Chris McCabe in a blog post.
Key currencies are now concentrated at the end
The redesigned pass places 400 Overwatch Coins and 30 Mythic Prisms in the final track. That track becomes available only after every preceding track has been completed, effectively requiring players to finish the entire pass before receiving this large currency reward.
In older passes, the equivalent milestone was around tier 72. Blizzard is also adopting a system similar to Marvel Rivals, allowing players to return to previous battle passes. However, those older passes will not provide currency rewards when revisited.
The structure has similarities to seasonal passes in Call of Duty. Some players welcome the ability to prioritise particular skins, but the currency changes have attracted strong criticism from the community.
“That’s kinda annoying sometimes I’d use a few coins earned to purchase the battle pass without having to spend for the season,” one Reddit user commented.
Other players argued that the new arrangement encourages purchases of the more expensive pass, punishes free-to-play users and removes the ability to use an earned skin-related currency balance as flexibly as before. One commenter summed up the criticism by calling the change a punishment for free players.
How the reward change affects free players
Previously, free Overwatch Coins appeared throughout the pass, approximately once every 20 tiers. Completing most of the pass was still necessary to collect all 600 coins, but players who stopped after a more modest commitment could typically earn 200 to 400 coins.
That smaller amount could be enough to buy a shop skin, or to combine with an existing balance and fund the following season’s premium pass without paying additional real money.
Under the season 4 system, 200 coins arrive at tier 12 only when players select a particular track. In practice, players seeking those free coins must choose the Pharah track, while the remaining currency is locked behind completion of the other tracks and the final track.
Mythic Prisms are harder to collect in stages
The redesign also changes how Mythic Prisms are distributed. Previously, players earned 10 Prisms for roughly every 10 battle-pass tiers. Those Prisms are used to unlock Mythic skins and their customisation options.
The new arrangement begins with a five-tier starter track. Each optional track then awards 10 Prisms at tier 11, while the final 30 Prisms remain in the concluding track. Even buyers of the ultimate pass therefore have more of their currency tied to late-pass progression.
A Mythic skin costs 50 Prisms. Each further customisation option costs another 10, bringing a standard complete set to 80 Prisms. Additional colour options available after the initial set can raise the total to 100 or 110 Prisms.
For players who spend Prisms gradually, the change matters. Ten Prisms cost $10 in real money, while the next purchase level provides 30 for $25, making small earned amounts valuable when saving for individual options or a complete set.
The time commitment remains significant
Players could previously complete all 80 tiers by the middle of a season if they played about six games a day. Focusing on quick play rather than Stadium or competitive matches, that works out at roughly an hour daily when queues are short and standard matches take under 10 minutes.
An hour may sound manageable, but daily progression is difficult for people balancing work, school, family responsibilities or other games. The result is that the most useful free rewards are not simply late in the pass; they are also attached to a substantial and consistent time commitment.
Will Blizzard adjust the new battle pass?
Blizzard has placed greater emphasis on player feedback about areas such as interface and map design during the past two years. It is not yet clear whether the battle pass changes will receive the same kind of revision.
For players interested in the wider arcade and gaming industry, RETROCADE’s Arcade Blog covers related news, while the Arcade Machine Buying Guide offers practical advice for choosing a home cabinet. Those planning a custom setup can also browse arcade parts or explore compact bartop arcades.
Leave a Reply